21 Month Recap

Ella and Aidan are both so fun, so full of energy, so full of craziness these days. Each month they get more and more independent. More and more vocal. More and more curious about the world and all of the things in it. It is so amazing and fun to watch them learn new things and grow into little people. They rarely use sign language anymore and are both adding new words to their vocabulary on a daily basis.

Many people have asked what the two of them are up to these days, so here is a brief recap (the condensed version)!

21 Things to Remember from Ella and Aidan's 21st Month:

Aidan
• Special requests for oatmeal raisin cookies from the Fresh Market (thanks Grandaddy!)
• Loves hugs and cuddling with Daddy - A total Daddy's Boy!
• If he doesn’t want to eat something on his plate, he touches it and says “hot!”
• Not a fan of chocolate
• Wakes up every day at 6 AM – he is more reliable than any alarm clock
• Loves rocks and dirt – especially dumping them on his head
• Hates having his hair rinsed during bath time

Ella
• She is an organizer - loves to pick up toys and to clean
• Now says two, often three - four word sentences (More please, Ride car go now, Daddy Work)
• Loves puzzles, blocks, anything with buckles and wearing hats (especially the pumpkin winter hat!)
• Loves to put on our shoes and walk around the house
• Can count to 6 (sometimes all the way to 10 with a little guidance), and can identify almost all of the letters in the alphabet (still gets caught up distinguishing between M & N).
• Introduces herself, Aidan, Mommy and Daddy to anyone who will listen!
• Has real “conversations” on the phone with Opa and Grandma Suzy

Both
• Love the movies "Shrek", "Cars", "Finding Nemo", and Baby Einstein's “First Words Around the House” – or as Ella calls it “Signs”
• Love to wash their hands (they always ask to do so before meals and when we come in from outside) and brush their teeth!
• Rarely fight with each other – they never hit or bite, and are very kind to others
• Amazing manners – always say please and thank you, hold our hands when walking in parking lots, use utensils (even napkins!), eat off of plates / bowls and don't tend to throw their sippy cups anymore (though everyone does have their moments!)
• Talk, talk, talk - if anything has been the most dramatic change this past month it has been their vocabulary
• Have become little climbers. Ella and Aidan have always been a little behind the curve in terms of walking, running, jumping, etc - they have always been very cerebral little kids as opposed to physical ones. But this past month they have both become more daring and confident in themselves (I think due in part to their weekly gymnastics class).
• Love to play in the backyard - or anywhere outside!